Bipolar Disorder Treatment

What is Bipolar Disorder?

Mental Health

Bipolar Disorder

People who struggle with mental health issues often ask, is bipolar a personality disorder? Is it genetic? Where can I get treatment? If you or a loved one are struggling with symptoms related to bipolar disorder, it is important to know that help is available. Contact Water Gap Wellness Center today to learn more about our mental health retreat near New York.

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what we treat

What is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder, previously called manic depressive disorder, is a mental health disorder causing severe mood swings that include extreme lows or depressive episodes and extreme highs or manic episodes. These episodes can last for weeks or months without any break in your mood. Whether you categorize it as a mood disorder or bipolar disorder personality disorder, very little is known about the causes. Many doctors assume there is a genetic factor involved, as individuals with a family history of bipolar disorder are at a higher risk for it themselves.
How to Find Bipolar Treatment near New York

Bipolar Disorder

Is Bipolar a Personality Disorder?

Although the symptoms of bipolar disorder can often sound related to some personality disorders, most people categorize bipolar disorder as a mood disorder because manic and depressive episodes severely impact your mood. Still, some also consider it a bipolar disorder personality disorder because it impacts your socialization and how you act around others. However, a doctor will diagnose it as a mood disorder.

 

 

Mood Disorder

Personality Disorder

What it is:

A mood disorder is classified as a mental health disorder that influences the patterns in your emotions, or your mood. 

A personality disorder is a category of mental health condition that centers on the way you relate to other people. 

Examples:

Major depression or bipolar disorder, and others

Paranoid personality disorder, Schizoid personality disorder, and others

Symptoms:

Severe emotional ups and downs, prolonged periods of extreme mania or depression, frequent irritability, a loss of pleasure in most or all activities, etc.

Distrust of other people, the tendency to hold grudges, odd perceptual experiences, an inability to pick up social cues, a lack of interest in socialization, and so on. 

Causes:

Genetics, trauma, stress, imbalances in the brain, and so forth. 

Genetics, abuse, trauma, and environment. 

Full Spectrum of Programs and Services

We Treat the Person, Not the Diagnosis.

Our holistic approach is designed to restore balance, and re-calibrate the mind, body and spirit through a combination of masterfully-planned clinical sessions and extraordinary experiential experiences.

Our programs are licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and the Drug and Alcohol Programs of Pennsylvania and offer an on-site Psychiatrist five days each week, two 1-on-1 sessions weekly with masters-level clinicians, group therapy daily, relapse prevention through exposure therapy, seasoned mental health professionals and so much more.

Mental Health

What Are the Signs of Bipolar Disorder?

The symptoms of bipolar disorder are categorized by two extreme mood swings: manic episodes and depressive episodes

Manic Episodes

Manic episodes are defined by a drastic increase in energy and often higher moods. While someone may feel unusually happy during a manic episode, all is not well. During manic episodes, you might not feel the need to sleep or eat. You may struggle with unbridled feelings of happiness or relation and energy. You might feel incredibly important and have lots of new ideas and big plans that you want to complete. 

You will also be distracted easily, agitated or irritable. You’ll struggle with impulse control, so you might buy things you can’t afford, say things you wouldn’t normally say, or behave in ways that aren’t like you.

Depressive Episodes

During depressive episodes, which can last for several weeks or months, you might experience irritability, perpetual sadness, or hopelessness. You won’t have a lot of energy. 

You may struggle with too little or too much sleep and a lot of self-doubt. You will have trouble concentrating and remembering things while you struggle with feelings of guilt, emptiness, worthlessness, or despair. You will usually lose interest in everyday activities and have a generally pessimistic attitude about everything around you.

Bipolar Disorder Treatment

The proper bipolar disorder treatment will include short-term and long-term combinations of therapy and medications. Doctors will work with you to determine which medication will respond most effectively to your bipolar disorder type. 

Short term:

Studies indicate that antipsychotic drugs can effectively treat acute symptoms of mania. Antipsychotics are most successful when paired with mood stabilizers. Most often, they are prescribed for treating manic or mixed episodes. 

They can also be used to control acute depressive or manic episodes. 

Lithium has been found to be the most successful for long-term relapse prevention. Lithium helps to stabilize your mood and prevent extreme depressive and manic episodes. Lithium can help prevent relapse and is often used for ongoing treatment, but it has side effects, so you’ll have to take periodic blood tests to ensure you aren’t suffering from thyroid or kidney problems.

Anticonvulsants like lamotrigine and Divalproex can help with acute symptoms of manic and depressive episodes. Anticonvulsant medications usually used to treat seizures can also function as successful mood stabilizers for bipolar disorder. There are different anticonvulsants prescribed to treat mania. Lamotrigine, for example, is usually used to delay the occurrence of bipolar I disorder. 

Antidepressants are also used as mood stabilizers and to control the acute symptoms of depressive episodes. 

At our bipolar treatment center, you might participate in things like cognitive behavioral therapy, where you can get help addressing negative thoughts and behavioral patterns familiar with depressive symptoms of your bipolar disorder. Recognizing these negative thought patterns is the first step in applying coping strategies and changing them to positive thought patterns. Similarly, bipolar disorder treatment should include psychoeducation, support groups, and psychotherapy.

Family therapy is another important part of bipolar disorder treatment. Family therapy helps those around you learn about your disorder and participate in the successful implementation of your long-term treatment plan.

Our bipolar treatment center specializes in psychotherapy, where you can focus on stress regulation and self-care. This provides an opportunity to recognize symptoms of an oncoming manic or depressive episode, better manage your stress, and improve self-care during that time frame. 

Long term:

Treatment is best maintained with psychosocial drug treatment.

At our bipolar treatment center, you can work with our team to create a psychosocial treatment plan that:

  • Enhances your identity, 
  • Improves social cognition, 
  • Aids interpersonal functioning, 
  • Helps with emotional processing

All of these benefits of your plan can help you better engage in your environment and manage the symptoms of your disorder.

Get Financial Assistance

We Accept Most Major Insurance

Many insurance plans cover the cost of Water Gap Wellness Center’s treatment plans – Mental Health and Alcohol and Drug Rehab. Although Water Gap Wellness Center accepts benefits from most major insurers, it is essential to verify coverage before admission. Your admission counselor partners with you to determine coverage and benefits from companies like Aetna, BCBS, Cigna, UHC, UMR, Humana, Magellan, Horizon, etc.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

How to Find Bipolar Treatment near New York

If you are ready to get help, you must find a bipolar treatment center that offers the combination of therapy and medication you prefer.

Qualifications

You can verify the qualifications of each individual who might serve as part of your treatment team when you contact a bipolar treatment center. Some centers might offer family therapy provided by a licensed therapist or individual therapy provided by a licensed psychotherapist or clinical psychologist. If you have a preference for the qualifications of the people with whom you work, this might be one of the deciding factors in choosing your bipolar treatment center.

Therapies

Tangentially, evaluate the different therapies offered. If you are interested in individual therapy exclusively, make sure the facility in question offers a program with multiple types of individual treatments. If you prefer things like family therapy in addition to medication management, check on that as well. 

Let Water Gap Wellness Center lend a hand if you are ready to get help with your signs of bipolar disorder. 

We’ve designed our Pennsylvania mental health treatment program to meet you at any stage of your mental health recovery. With a multi-faceted approach, we don’t treat your diagnosis; we treat you as an individual. What’s more, our premier mental health services provide a full spectrum of programs using evidence-based practices that help you with the mind, body, and soul.

At Water Gap Wellness Center, our team works with you through partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, or regular outpatient mental health programs with an evolving combination of therapy and medication. 

If you are ready to get treatment, we can help verify your insurance coverage as part of our admissions process. After a few interview questions about your situation, we can work with you to determine if our mental health treatment program can guide you toward healing. 

If you are ready for help, call us at (877) 414-3281.

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